What is Dim Sum?

John Badalu Contributor Jakarta

Dim sum can be a bit intimidating and if you don't know what you're doing you could find yourself biting into something you never intended to bite into.

The following guide should help dim sum novices order with some degree of confidence.

Ha Kau: Steamed prawn covered in see-through rice flour. If you can't see the prawn, it means the rice flour is too thick and not nice to eat.

Siew Mai: Steamed dumpling with pork (usually) and shrimp in flour covering. The original Siew Mai is garnished with crab eggs (often the crab eggs are replaced with minced carrot because the color is the same).

Cah Siew Pau: Literally means steamed pork buns. But sometimes bun is filled with green beans instead. Whatever is inside, if the filling is not steamy when you tear open the bun, send it back.

Lor Mai Kai: Chicken and mushroom rolled in sticky rice and wrapped in lotus leaf (My personal fave).

Fong Zao: The famous chicken feet. Not many people other than Chinese like it.

Dan Tat: Custard egg tart, fried or baked.